Rotary wing aircraft



Aug. 3, 1943.

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Filed Jan. 50, 1940 a "I MW-W701? a 2; MA?

Patented Aug. 3, 1943] Cyril George Newton Mearns,

Genista, Scotland, assignor to Antoglro Company of America, Willow Grove,

Delaware l'a., a corporation of Application January '30, 1940, Serial No. 316,330

In Great Britain January 27, 1939 12 Claims. (01. 244-17) This invention relates craft comprising gyroplanes and helicopters; and more particularly to the control of such aircraft in flight.

It has been proposed in connection with propulsive airscrews for fixed wing aircraft to vary the pitch. setting of the blades under the control of a centrifugal governor acting on the blades to rotative wing 811" through the medium of a relay to maintain constant airscrew speed. ,The control of the pitch setting of the blades was devised to ensure that the blade angle should increase with increase in forward speed of the aircraft and that the blades should present minimum resistance to the air in the event of engine failur The control of the pitch setting of the blades of lifting rotors for gyroplanes and helicopters contemplated by the present invention takes account of conditions fundamentally different from those imposed on propulsive airscrew for fixed wing aircraft. An object of the present invention is so to control the pitch setting of a rotor blade that the blade shall be maintained in a position in which, under allconditions, the angle of attack will approach the optimum, resulting in high efllciency of the rotor.

A further object of this invention is to provide a rotor hub and control means in which provision is made for varying the pitch setting voi the rotor -blades in accordance with the above object blade pitch angle to obtain shifting of the lift line of the rotor.

In the application of this invention to a rotor for rotative wing aircraft, provision is made for maintaining during normal flight a substantially v and also providing-for cyclic variation of the lation in forward flight. Thi variation of flow would normally bring about an increase or de-- crease in the speed of the rotor but with the system contemplated by this invention the speed of the rotor is maintained substantially constant by altering the pitch angle of the blades.

I propose to eifect the desired change of pitch angle of the blades under the control ofa relay which in turn is controlled by a centrifugal governor coupled to one or more rotors and so arranged that in the event of a slight reduction in the speed of the rotor the centrifugal governor brings into action the relay to reduce the pitch angle of the rotor blades and vice versa so that the hub of one of the rotors;

the speed of the rotor remains substantially constant in flight. It has been found that the use of an intermediate relay is desirable to prevent the transmission of blade oscillations to the centrifugal governor resulting in instability.

When this invention-is applied to helicopters the mechanism can advantageously be used to return the blades to. gyroplane (i. e. autorotationalfpitch angle in the event of a failure of the engine or or the transmission between the engine and the rotor so that the aircraft may be landed as e, gyroplane. The apparatus may also be used to maintain the rotor blades .-in a zero lift position or thereabouts to permit Jumpstart" operation and may also be provided with a pilot's override control to allow the blade pitch angle and/or the rotor speed to be altered.

One constructional embodiment of a rotor hub and control means-in accordance with this invention are illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatical view in a fore and aft direction of a helicopter having a pair of sideby-side sustaining rotors;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatical view of a centrifugal governor for use with the above;

Fig. 3 is an elevational view partly in section of the rotor pitch change control;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line IV-IV of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a vertical lateral cross section-through Fig. 5a is a continuation of Fig. 5 on the righthand side of Fig. 5;

Figs. 6 and 6a, taken together, comprise a lateral sectional view at right-angles to Fig, 5 showing the lower part of the hub;

Figs. 7 and 7a taken together, comprise a plan 7 view of the rotor hub;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view through the rotor generally in the plane of the blades;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view showing details of the rotor drive clutch;

Fig. 10 is a view partly in section showing details of the rotor brake.

Referring to the drawings: A helicopter has a pair of side-by-side rotors I", I" of similar construction which rotate in opposite directions. These are shown diagrammatically in Fig. 1 which shows them driven through shafts ii", "I andbevel drives I02, 202 respectively. Below the rotor I III is mounted a chain wheel III! which is driven by a control wire HM passing over a pulley Ill from a wheel in of the pitch change control hereinafter described. Below the chain wheel I03 is mounted a smaller chain wheel I01 which .is coupled by a control wire I09 passing over a pulley I09 to a pilot's control for eflecting cyclic pitch change of the rotor. Similar arrangements are provided for the rotor 203, the

parts corresponding to the parts I33 to I09 hav ing. reference numbers 203 to 209.

.The rotor drive shafts I I, are driven from a gearbox IIO on the centre line of the aircraft. A shaft extending upwardly-from the gearbox IIO drives a centrifugal governor II2, hereinafter [described with reference to Fig. 2. An oil pump II3 which provides oil under pressure for the lubrication of the various control organs and for the centrifugal governor is mounted below and is driven from the gearbox IIO. This pump may beat the gear type and be provided with relief valves to keep the output pressure sensibly constant.

governor unit H2. The drive shaft II4 from the gearbox I10 has at its end a bevel pinion I which drives a bevel wheel I26 on a disc I21 mounted on a vertical axis. Pivotally secured to brackets I26on the disc I21 are a pair of weights I29 having arms I30 extending radially inwards.

The innermost ends of the arms I30 lie below a collar I3I' on the upper end of the plunger I32 of a piston valve. The plunger slides in a vertical of reduced size'so'that an annular space is left between the plunger I32 and the bore i33. The

plunger I32 is pressed downwardly by a coil coil spring I64 into the bore I33 and has intermediate its ends a part I34 provided with an extension I39 which passes through the upper end of the casing.

When the rotor is turning at normal speed the plunger I32 of the piston valve is held in the position shown, by the upward pressure of the arms I30 due to the tendency of the weights I29 to fly outwards balancing the downward pressure of the spring I35. By varying the initial setting of the spring by the pilot's override control connected to the shaft I36 the rotor speedat which this equilibrium speed is attained can be adjusted.

Mounted in the housing of the centrifugal governor H2 is a geartype oihpump comprising two meshing pinions I43.which turn in the directions indicated thereon. Oil from the pump I I3 passes to an inlet chamber I44, through a passage I and after passing through the pump and through an outlet chamber I46 reaches a delivery port I40.

When the oil is not able to pass through the port I40 it is by-passed through a plunger valve I41 4 controlled by a spring I46 tothe pumpv inlet' chamber I44. The pump pinions I43 are driven from the shaft II4 by means not shown.

When the rotor speed increases above the ad-v justed equilibrium speed the plunger I32 rises, allowing oil under pressure to pass-from the port I40, which is connected to the oil pump I43; to the annular space around the part I34 of the plunger ';and from thence to a passage I to the 'pitch-changecontrol, which will hereinafter be described. This increases the pitch angles of the blades of both rotors so that their rota ional 75' y 20- Fig. 2--shows diagrammatically the centrifugal speed is reduced owing to the increased power which they absorb.

When the rotor speeds return to normal the plunger I32 moves downward cutting off the supply of oil from the port I40. Should therotor speeds drop below the adjusted equilibrium speed of the governor the plunger I32 moves downward and puts the passage I4I into communication with a lower chamber I42 having a passage I49 connecting it to the oil sump. This allow the oil pressure in the pitch change control to be reduced thereby reducing the pitch angles of the rotor bladesand allowing their rotational speed to returntonorm'al.

The rotor pitch control unit is illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4. It comprises a housing I50 having. at one end a cylinder I5I in which a piston and nuts I has a central passage I56 which communicates through a union I51 and a screwed pipe joint I56, I59 with a pipe I60 (Fig.4) which is connected to the passage I4I of the governor unit (see Fig. 2).

The piston I52 is connected by a thrust ball bearing I6I housed in a recess I62 in the piston to a sleeve I63. The sleeve I63 is urged by a bylinder I52, the left hand end- (as. seen in Fig. 4) of the spring I64 abutting against an annulus I65 screwed onto the left hand end of the sleeve I63. Axially slidable within the sleeve I63 and splined thereto is a liner I66 which surrounds the spring I64 and carries at its right hand end a sprocket I61 clamped to the liner I66 by a screwed ring I68 which also secures a ball journal bearing I69 against =a collar I10 on the liner. The outer member of the ball bearing I69 is held in a recess "I in' a coverplate I12 clamped to the housin I50 by studs and nuts I13. The aperture in the cover plate I12 through which passes the lever I66 is a close fit over the liner and is provided with a dirt excluding packing- I14.

Formed on the exterior of the sleeve I63 are coarse pitch left and right hand screw threads I15 and I16 which are similar to each other except in hand. These threads I15 and I16 are engaged respectively by projecting parts I11 and I10 on'rack members I19 and I which'are of generally cylindrical shape and slide in guides I93 and oil retaining packing I94. A flange I95- on the shaft I61 has a chain wheel 206 secured to it'by bolts I96.- The mounting of the shaft I66 is similar to that of theshait'l61 and it car- .ries a. chain wheel I06.

A'rod 220 is attached to a projection 224 formed on the piston I52 by a ball joint comprising a rotation bya split pin 225. The other end of the rod 220 is pivotally secured to the longer arm of a bell crank 226 pivoted at 221 to abracket 226 mounted on the housing I50. The length, of said longer armor the bell crank 226 is adbustable byv turning acentral part 229, having left and right-hand threads 230- and 23i', relatively t the ends-226 and 2320f said arm.

' 233v are provided for -locking this central part 229 in the desired adjustment position. The

Screwed nuts by a. Bowden wire or analogous transmission to a rotor pitch indicator in the pilot's cockpit.

When oil pressure is applied by the governor unit II2 through the passage I (Fig. 2) and thence through the pipe I68 (Fig. 4) to the cylinder I5I it causes the piston I52 to move to the right against the action of the spring I64. As

it moves, the piston carries with it the sleeve I63 which slides over the liner I66. The sleeve I53 being secured to the rack members I19 and I88 by the projections I11 and I18 carries these rack members with it, causing rotation ofthe pinions I85, I86 in opposite directions, thereby rotating the chain wheel 286 counter-clockwise and the chain wheel I 86 clockwise. These chain wheels are coupled to the rotor hubs to give equal increase of the pitch of each rotor. When the oil pressure is reduced as a result of a drop in speed of the rotor causing a downward movement of the plunger I32, the piston I52 urged by the spring I64 moves back towards the left and causes equal reduction of pitch of the rotors.

Should the engine fail, the speed of the transmission shafts, governor and rotors will drop causing operation of the governor H2 and the plunger valve I32 to reduce the oil pressure in the cylinder I5I allowing the piston I52 to move under the action of the spring I64 to its extreme left hand position as viewed in Fig. 4. The

coupling between the pitch control unit and the rotor pitch change chain wheel I83 is arranged so that with the piston I52 in this position the rotor blades are disposed at gyroplane incidence,

thereby allowing the aircraft to be landed as a gyroplane. I

The pilot's override control connected to the shaft I36 may be used to eifect equal pitch change of the rotors by causing the governor unit II2 to operate by changing the equilibrium speed to which it is adjusted.

Rotation of the sprocket I61 causes turning of the liner I66 and the sleeve I63 splined thereto relatively to the housing I58 and piston I52. This turning brings into play the opposite handed threads I15 and I16 and hence movement of the rack members I18 and I88 in opposite directions giving equal and opposite or differential pitch change of the two rotors. This difierential pitch change of the rotors is arranged to provide lateral control of the aircraft.

The construction of a rotor hub is illustrated in Figs. 5 to 8 and Figs. 9 and 10. Each rotor blade 258 is secured at its root end to a root member 25I supported by journal ball bearings 252 and 253 and a ball thrust bearing 254 in a hollow sleeve split into two parts 255 and 256 secured together by bolts and nuts 251. Each of the parts 255, 256 forming the sleeve has 8. lug 258 with an aperture 258 forming a housing for the roller bearing 268 of a flapping articulation (see Fig. 8). Each of the bearings 268 is held in position by a ring 26I with a locking screw 262. The pin members 263 of the flapping articulation are two opposite branches of a spider 264 having four branches in one plane mutually at right angles to each other. The branches 265 form the inner members of a vertical drag articulation the axis of which intersects the flapping articulation at right angles. Plugs 266 are screwed into the ends of the pin members 263 which are hollow.

The drag articulation is best seen in Fig. 5A. The spider 264 has a pair of vertical pin members 218 which form the inner parts of combined journal and thrust conical roller bearings 2' and 212. The outer part of the upper bearing 2" is held in a. recess 213 in a lug 218 extending from the rotating shell 215 of the hub, while the outer.

part of the lower bearing 212 is similarly held in a housing 216 in amember 211 surrounding the shell 215 and secured thereto by bolts 218 which pass through holes in lugs 219 and 288 on the shell 215 and member 211 respectively.

A screwed plug "I at the upper end of the upper pin member 216 rigidly secures thereto a.

plate 282 at each end of which links 283 are pivotally secured (see Fig. '1). The other ends of these links 283 are pivotally secured to lugs 284 on plates 285 one for each blade arranged in pile form concentrically above the hub (see Fig. 5). ranged rings of friction material 286. The whole assembly forms a friction damper for movements about the drag articulations and is rotatable as a unit relatively to the shell 215 of. the hub, together with a cover plate 348 of the hub.

A screwed plug 281 at the lower end of the lower pin member 218 holds in position a plate 288 which has a central aperture with a series of inwardly directed serrations 289. These serrations engage corresponding outwardly directed teeth 288 on the pin member 218 and allow the plate 288 and pin member 218 to be secured together in various rotational positions. The plug 2811s secured to theplate 288 by a set screw 28I. The plate 288 has on its periphery stops 282 which cooperate with stops 283 on the housing 216 to limit movement of the blade about the drag articulation (see Fig. 8). By removing the plate 288 and re-engaging it in a diiferent rotational position on the pin member 218 these limits can be altered.

The root member 25I of the blade has an inwardly directed extension 388 which terminates with a pair of arms which engage a circumferential groove 38I in a ball 382 the centre of which lies at the intersection of the flapping and drag axes. A similar groove 383 atright angles to at one end of a shaft 385 which is supported in journal ball bearings 386 carried by a. sleeve 381 which passes through the shell 215 and is screwed into a lug 388 thereon. Keyed to the inner end of the shaft 385 is a pitch change am 398 which is securedin position by a bolt and nut 3I8 which clamp the split end of the arm 388 onto the shaft 385 and by a nut 3 on the shaft 385.

At its free end the pitch change arm 388 has a pin 3I2 which extends generally radially outwards and carriesa spherical seating member 3I3 held in position by a bolt 3I6 and cooperating with an internal partly spherical surface 3I4 in an aperture at theupper end of a dependent pitch change link 3I5. When the hub is rotating the action of centrifugal force maintains the internal surface 3I4 in contact with the seating member 3 I3 but when still, the dismantling of the mechanism is facilitated. At its lower end the pitch change link 3I5 has a similar surface 3I1 cooperating with a spherical seating member 318 held in position by a, bolt 3I8 on a radial pin 328 carried by a swash plate 325.

The swash plate. 325 iscarried by bearings 326 and 321 on a spindle 328 which is tiltable in a vertical fore-and-aft plane about the axis of a pivot Between adjacent plates 285 are ar-' 332 and blade-rootI pitch.

nal bearing only and'is securedby anut 33I on the spindle 323. secured. by bolts 332 to the upper end of the swash plate 325 is a'lower element 333 of an universal joint 334 the other element 335 of which is secured to one part 338 of a link, 333, 331 comprisingtwo telescoping parts havin splines 338 between them. The part 331 or the link is attached by an universal joint 339 to a flange of a cover plate 349 of the hub.

. The cover plate 349 is bolted at 345 to an annular member 346 which supports the friction damper hereinbeiore described and which is carried by journal bearings 341, 348 spaced by a distance piece! and secured by a nut 359 on an upwardly extending flange 35I ofa bridge plate 352 secured to the upper end or the shell 215 of the hub by bolts 353.

' It will be seen that the above-described connection between the swash plate 325 and the cover plate 349 ensures that they turn simultaneaasaasa which allow relative rotation but no axial movement between the central member 399 and sleeve ously while permitting vertical movement between them Thus when the annular member 346 carrying the friction damper for lead-lag movements of the blades moves relatively to the shell 215 it turns the swash plate and prevents any pitch change due to such movement.

8 The spindle us has formed integrally with it a bell crank having two parallel arms 369 paced apart and also.a transverse bush 36l throu h,

which passes the pivot 329 carrying at each end a journal ball bearing 362 secured in position by a nut 363. The outer parts of the bearings 362 39I. The bearings 392 are secured to the central member by a ring 393 and distance piece394 and are similarly secured by a ring 395 and distance piece 398 to the sleeve 39l. e

The sleeve 39I' has a flanged Part 391 with an external screw thread cooperating'with the-internal screw thread on the member 319. On the 'exterioroi' the generally cylindrical part or the sleeve 39l are'formed projecti'ons398 which engage keyways 399 in the'elon f-edibush 499 of a chain wheel I91. These keyways 399 permit the sleeve 39] to move vertically relatively to the hub but transmit to it rotational movements of the chain wheel I91. The bush 499 is supported by combined journal and thrust bearings 49I which are secured on the bush by a ring 492 and distance piece 493 and on the bush 494 oi? the chain wheel I93 by a ring 495 and distance piece 496. When the chain wheel I91 is rotated it turns the sleeve 39I which-moves vertically'under the action ofthe screw threads on its flanged part 391 carrying with it the central member 399 and the lower .end of the arms 369 of the bell crank which tilts the spindle 328 integral therewith.

. This'tilts the swash plate 325 so that as it roare'supported by bushes 384 in flanges ass exl tending upwardly from a crosshead 366 which is vertically slidable relatively to a fixed part 361 of the hub and is maintained against rotation by a keyway 359. The crosshead 368 has an internal flange 368 to which a flange 389 of a member 319 having coarse pitch internal and external screw threads,issecuredbybolts31I The external thread on'the member 319 is entates with the rotor the lower ends of the pitch change 3I5 move vertically up and down causing cyclic-pitch change.

The'control wires I98, 298 are cdu led to the I control ,column II5 so that when th column is moved forwards or backwardsthe pitch of the i 2 blades in each of the rotors is altered cyclically gaged by an internally screw threaded ring 312 pported .by thrust bearings 313, which prevent vertical movement, in the fixed part 381 01' j the hub. The thrust bearings 313 have between them an oil retaining packing ring 314 and are.

held in position by a clamping ring 315. Bolted at 318 to the lower end of the ring 312 is a chain wheel I93 by'which, as previously mentioned. the

pitch of the rotor is controllable.

When the chain wheel I93 is turned it turns the ring 312, the screw thread on which causes the member 318 and crosshead 366 to move vertically carrying with .it the pivot 329,'spind1e 328 and swash plate 325. Since the lower ends of the pitch change links 3I5 are secured to the swash plate 325 they transmit the vertical 'moveby equal amounts in the same sense thereby providing fore and aft control of the aircraft. These wires are also coupled to therudder bar or equivalent control in such a way that when the latter isoperated, diflerential cyclic pitch change of the rotors occurs, i. e. the pitch angles of the' blades are altered cyclically in each of the rotors' but the phasing and/or amplitude of the cyclic pitchchange is unequal in the two rotors thereby providing a control in yaw for the aircraft. Such cyclic control, including the hook-up to the control stick,- is disclosed more fully in my co-pend ing application 331,318, filed April 24, 1940.

The rotors are drivenfrom the common gearbox lIlby shafts I9I and 29I. The end of the shaft I9l nearest the rotor I99 has-a flange not shown which is bolted to a flange 599 secured on onto the shaft (see Fig- 5A).

a shaft 59l by keys. 592 and a ring 593 screwed The shaft 59l is carried in ball bearings 594 and a roller bearing 595 within a sleeve 596 slidable within a cylindrical projection from the main non-rotating part 361 of the hub. This sleeve provides means for bell. crank integral with the spindle m is a bolt ing 'for an oil-rtaining'jpacking 5I3. On the.

inner element of the bearing 385 is carried on a member 393. The latter is securedlto a sleeve 33] by combined journal and thrust bearings 392 -bolL331 secured by a nut 338 and extending between flanges 389 at the upper end of a central locating the shaft in correct axial position so that a pinion 591 on the shaft 59I meshes properly with the crown wheel ring I92 of the rotor. This axial adjustment is provided by shims 598 interposed between a flange 599 on the sleeve 598 and a ring 5I8 clamped by studs and nuts 5 to-the hub part 381. The ring v .4m clamps the bearings 594, 585 and a distance 'piece 5I2 within-the sleeve 598 and also provides a housshaft 59I thebearing's and a distance piece 5 are secured The'crown wheel m is boltedat 5I5-to an annulus 5I8 supported within the non-rotating part 361 of the hub by combined journal and thrust bearings 5I1, 5I8 supported by parts 5I9 {and 529 respectively which latter are secured by by the clamping action of the ring studs and nuts HI and 522 to the hub part 251. An oil-retaining packing 525 is held by a ring 524 carried by the part 520.

An axially slidable member 525 is attached. by splines 525 to the inner surface of the annulus I5'and is urged upwardly by springs 521 surrounding rods 52B carried by a lower spacer 529 and by holes 530 in the member 525. The upper end of the member 525 has a series of dog clutch surfaces 53! spaced at 120' (the same angle as that between the rotor. bladesland backed off by inclined surfaces 532. These clutch surfaces 53I are adapted to engage corresponding surfaces 533 projecting downwardly from an upper clutch member 534, which also has inclined surfaces 535 corresponding to the inclined surfaces 532. The upper clutch member 534 is secured by the bolts 218 to the shell 215 and is supported near its upper end by a journal and thrust bearing 535 supported by the 'part 5i! on the'stationary part of the hub. While the rotor is being driven the surfaces 53I and 533 engage but when the rotor is overrunning the drive, the member 525 is pressed downwardly against the action of the springs 521 by the inclined surfaces 532 and 535.

It will be noted that while the rotor is over- .running the drive there isno positive relationship between the speeds of the rotor 'and governor. Should the speed of the drive drop below the adjusted equilibrium speed of the governor,

the rotor pitch will be reduced to gyroplane incidence by the control unit.

The lower end of the shell 215 is supported by a thrust and journal bearing 550 between said shell and the annulus 5I6.- Secured to the lower end of the shell 215 is a rotor brake drum 55I held in position by a ring 552. especially Fig. 10) has two shoes 553 with surfaces of friction material 554 attached by rivets 555. One end of each of the shoes 553 is pivotally connected at 556 to the stationary hub part 351, the pivot pin 556 being securedby a screw nut 551. The other ends of the brake shoes are in contact with control plungers 558 which move in a common cylinder 559 into the central part of which oil under pressure is introduced through a passage 560 when it is desired to stop the rotor. A spring 56I holds the shoes 553 in contact with the plungers 558.

In operation, assuming the governor to be set v for, say, a rotor speed of 200 R. P. M., with the engine running the clutch is engaged and the rotor (or rotors) speeded up while the blades are held in a reduced pitchposition (piston I52 at left hand end of the cylinder I5I (Fig. 3)) until 200 R. P. M. is reached. Now the helicopter The brake (see influenced axial displacement of the piston. I52 can be set to allow the blades to return to any desired gyroplane pitch angle or to the no-lift position when landing in a high wind.

In the case where two or more rotors with independent engines are provided, a common governor may be arranged to receive its drive from an element of a coupling interposed between the rotors so as to be responsive to interruptlon of the drive of either rotor or of any predetermined variation of torque; or, if desired. each engine may have its own independent governor unit with or without means for synchronising the" power output from the engines. A master control maybe arranged to cut in or out all or any of the engines, automatically or manually as desired.

The pilot-operated control mechanism may also be so arranged as to permit the aircraft to be jump started off the ground, as in the case of a jump start" gyroplane. In a "jump start" gyroplane assuming the normal rotor revolutions in flight to be 200 R. P. M., then, to obtain the necessary kinetic energy for jump start," the in the form of lift by a rapid increase of the blade pitch angle to gyroplane pitch angle, or to an angle somewhat in excess of that incidence, and the resultant lift causes the machine to rise quickly in the air. At the top of the "jump start," the normal engine airscrew has produced sufllcient thrust to cause the machine to travel forwardly through the air andthus to establish autorotation of the rotor. In the case of ahelicopter, it is usual to produce steadily the necessary lift to cause the machine to rise slowly ed the ground, and whilst so doing, it is subjected to considerable interference from the echo or slip stream ofthe rotor or rotors when close to the ground. To eliminate this effect, it is possible with the helicopter so to arrange the mechanism that the blades are run above the normal flight speed, thus storing considerable kinetic energy in the rotor or rotors. A rapid change of the rotor pitch to the helicopter pitch which, incidentally, can be carried out at a predetermined rate, will causethe machine to Jump from the ground and quickly clear itself from the echo eflect. Since the equilibrium speed of the governor is under control of the pilot, it is pospitch is realised by turning each blade about its pitch change axis under the influence of fluid pressure in the pitch control unit. For a given throttle opening-or applied torque, should the rotor pitch be too great, so as to cause a reduction in speed, the centrifugal governor will allow 7 the plunger valve I32 to move downwards to cut off the pressure fluid supply to the pitch control cylinder and to release the oil pressure in' the pitch control cylinder thereby reducing the pitch angle of the blades. 7

In the event of engine or transmission failure, the governor will openthe plunger valve I22 and release the pressure fluid as the rotor .is

slowing down, thus allowing the blades to return to gyroplane pitch angle under the influence of the spring I64. It is obvious that the pitch control unit may be so arranged that the springsible to speed up the rotor beyond normal flight R. P. M. By releasing the governor, the relay will rapidly change the blade pitch angles to the helicopter pitch angle. The rate of change can be controlled by varying the. size of the oriflce in the pitchchange control cylinder.

It has been found in the course of practical tests with helicopters that the ground interference orecho eifect,'caused by the slip stream of' the rotor or rotors, produces considerable instability in the aircraft when the latter becomes just -borne. In the case of a machine having two rotors disposed one on each side of the fuselage, there is available a certain amount or lateral control which gives the necessary stability about the 1ongitud1nal aids. In the case of a machine hava single rotor, or two co-axial rotors arianged one above the other, it is hardly possible to' effect lateral correction of the machine without such correction being accompanied by lateral swing of the machine. with the machine any new inches off the ground when the wind direction suddenly changes, the corrective moment introduced into the machine will cause a lateral swing and, at the same time, the machine may drop until one of the ing. for simultaneous increase of the means pitch wheels touches the ground, thus producing an overturning moment which cannot be corrected by the control. I, therefore, propose so to arrange the rotor-drivingmechanism that the rotors can be run above normal flight speed at zero lift position, so that the kinetic energy thus stored in the rotor system will be given out to the air in the form of lift-when the blades are turned. to normal helicopter pitch angle. This will cause the machine to rise quickly and thus to move rapidly out or the region in which ground echo effect isexperienced, so that any lateral swing may be safely corrected with the wheels some considerable distance from the ground, and

' no overturning moment will be experienced,

In landing, the machine. may 'be flown to the spot chosen for landing and, when at some predetermined height from the ground, approximately one rotor diameter, the blade pitch angle may be progressively reduced, so that the ma- I chinewill quickly pass through the echo effect without liability to overturn.

The term constant speed as used in the claims means a speed which normally remains substantially constant for a. given setting of the centrifugal governor but does not exclude the use of a pilot's control for altering the setting of the governor so that its equilibrium speed may be adjusted to a suitable value.

The term normal flight inthis application means, in the'case of a helicop ste dy fli t .while the rotor (or rotors) is (or are) bein driven by a motor and excludes"jump starting" and landing as a gyroplane (i. e.without theapplication of power to the rotor). In the case of a gyroplane the term excludes fjump starting conditions. v

What I claim is: w

1. In an aircraft having a pair of sustainin rotors disposed on either side of the centre line, an engine, transmission shafts, eachincludin a rotors.

of the blades of both rotors upon increase in rotor R. P. M. above a predetermined speed and for simultaneous decrease of the mean pitch of the blades of both rotors upon decrease in rotor R. P. M. below said predetermined speed, each of the pitch control mechanismsbeing adapted to superimpose its effect on that of the other mechanism. 4 I

3. A construction in accordance with claim 2,

and further incorporating manually controllable means for adjusting the equilibrium speed of the 6. In an aircraft, a pair of sustaining rotors the blades of which are arranged for pitch variation in a range including and extended above a predetermined autorotational pitch setting, engine means, a rotor drive system for delivering power from the engine means to the rotors, the drive to .the rotors incorporating overrunning. clutch means, andmechanism for maintaining substantial constancy of rotor R. P. M. in-

cluding control means connected with the rotor blades to regulate the pitch thereof, and a governor for actuating the control means, the'governor being coupled to the rotor drive system for actuation therebyat apoint between the engine means and the overrunning clutch means and providing for simultaneous increase of the mean pitch of the blades of both rotors upon increasein rotor R. P; M. above a predetermined speed and for simultaneous decrease of the mean pitch 1 of the blades of both rotors upon decrease in freewheel clutch, between the common engine shaft and each of the rotors, a centrifugal governor driven from the engine shaft, a pitch change control imit comprising a cylinder, a piston 'slidable in the cylinder connected to a sleeve threads each by a rack member which engages a pinion on a shaft, 9. blade pitch angle the centrifugal governor, controlling the admission of pressure fluidto the control cylinder to move the piston against the action of a spring which,whentheisreleased,tendsto movethe-piston into a position corresponding to gyroplane incidence -of the rotor blades, a

T sprocket mounted on the. sleeve to rotate same whereby to cause movement of the rack 'mem- 1 bersin opposite directions toproduce differential incidence change of the rotors.

2. m an aircraft. a pair or side-by-side variable rotors, engine means,-a rotor pitch I 4 drive system for delivering power from the engine means to the rotors, a pilot's control-means for controlling the aircraft in roll including mechanism for invemely varying .the mean pitch of the rotors, means for main substantial constancy of rotor R. P. M. including control mechanism connected with the rotor blades to regulate the pitch thereof, and a governor for actuating the control mechanism, the governor being ,as-

sociated with drive system and provid 76 having two oppomte handed external screw 'control element for each rotor coupled to one of thelastmentionedshaifts.avulveactuatedliy rotor R. P. M. below said predetermined speed, whereby said governor is rendered ineffective upon stoppage of the engine means.

7. A construction in accordance with claim-6,

in which the governor actuates the pitch control means to maintain an average pitch setting of the 'rotorshigher than the. predetermined autorotational setting while the rotors arebeing driven, and in which the governor actuates the pitch control means to reduce the mean pitch of both rotors to said predetermined autorotational pitch setting, upon stoppage of the engine 8. In an aircraft, a variable pitch sustaining rotor the blades of which are arranged for pitch variation in a range including and extended above a predetermined autorotational pitch setting, a prime mover, a drive system for delivering power from the prime mover to the rotor,

- the drive system including an overrunning clutch providing for autorotative actuation of the rotor upon stoppage of the prime mover, and a governor for regulating the mean rotor blade pitch, 'the V governor being connected with -the rotor drive system for actuation thereby at a point between the prime mover and the overrunning clutch and providing for increase of the mean rotor blade pitch to-a' value above said predetermined autorotational setting when the rotor is being driven and fordecrease of the rotor blade pitch substantially'to said autorotative setting upon stoppage of the prime mover.

9. A construction in accordance with-claim 8,

claim 2 in which the governor operates to increase the mean rotor blade pitch angle when the rotor is driven above a predetermined speed and to decrease the rotor blade pitch angle when the rotor is being driven below said predetermined speed.

10. A construction in accordance with claim 8, in which the governor operates to increase the mean rotor blade pitch angle when the rotor is driven above a predetermined speed and to decrease the rotor blade pitch angle when the rotor is being driven below said predetermined speed, and further incorporating manually operable means for adjusting the equilibrium speed of the governor.

11. In an aircraft having a pair of side-byside variable pitch sustaining rotors, driving means for the rotors, a pitch control governor actuated by the driving means for simultaneously increasing or decreasing the mean pitch of both rotors, an irreversible actuating connection between the governor and the rotors, and manual control means providing for inverse variation of the-mean pitch of the two rotors substantially independently of the simultaneous pitch change as effected by the governor through said irreversible actuating connection. v

12. In an aircraft having a pair of sustaining rotors disposed on either side of the centre line of the aircraft, means for acting on the blades to change their effective pitch angles, a governor responsive to the rotational speed of the rotors and operating -to control the pitch changing means to maintain the rotor speed substantially constant during no mal :flight, and means for controlling the aircra t in roll including mechanism for diflerentially varying the mean pitch of the rotors from the equilibrium value established by said governor.

CYRIL GEORGE PULLIN. 

